Venturing Leadership Module: Mentoring

This series will introduce you to each, this post we move on to mentoring and will evaluate mentoring as it relates to the Venturing program by explaining the benefits of mentoring, describing how to maintain a quality mentoring relationship. outlining the evolution of a mentoring relationship and modeling effective mentoring skills utilizing a learning conversation.

Introduction

Mentoring Defined: It is a personal enhancement strategy through which one person facilitates the development of another by sharing known resources, expertise, values, skills, perspectives, attitudes, and proficiencies.

This course is designed to help Venturers in your crew understand how to mentor others in your crew and come to appreciate the role mentoring has in personal growth and leadership for both the mentor and the person being mentored. When this training is complete, an older Venturer will be able to successfully mentor a newer crew member through the planning and operation of a crew adventure.

A form of leadership, mentoring can be used throughout the Venturing program. Some examples might include an outgoing president mentoring the new officers or members of the Venturing officers’ association (VOA) helping new member get on his feet. .

This course is part of a Summit Award requirement and may be completed any time. However, it is a must for Summit seekers before serving as a peer-mentor helping another youth crew member plan a crew adventure.

This training can be easily be presented at one time, but when divided into sessions, it makes for a series of great combined Priest/Laurel Mutual nights. It can also be delivered during several crew meetings, VOA meetings, or at forums on roundtable nights. This course can be presented to both small or large groups or even adapted for one-on-one coaching sessions.

Venturers can predict who benefits from mentoring relationships for the mentor and the mentee, but what about the crew? A solid mentoring program helps strengthen quorum as well as the individuals involved. The following chart offers some interesting insights:

Summary

A single conversation across the table with a wise man is worth a month’s study of books.” —Chinese proverb

The keys to making the mentoring relationship work are:

Communication—Both parties should communicate openly and honestly. Mentees should willingly indicate their needs and mentors should willingly share their strengths and knowledge.

Commitment—Both parties should be committed to making the relationship work. All individuals involved should live up to their responsibilities.

Trust—Trust is an underlying factor in a successful mentoring relationship. Building trust depends on simple actions such as keeping appointments, as well as more profound actions such as sharing successes and failures.